How To Write Amazing Poems In 10 Fun Styles (With Examples)

Imagine you could express how you feel or how you want your audience to feel through poetry. How fulfilling would your life be?

If the audience cried because you touched their hearts. Or if they jumped around excitedly because you gave new hope or new revelation.

But, right now, here you are. Without any of that. Right now, people turn their heads at your poems. Or even they don’t understand a word you write and the message you want to express. What went wrong?

But, it doesn’t have to be that way:

There is a way you can start writing great poetry with an emotion-filled message. And, it’s not too hard to do for yourself. All of the answers you need are right here in this article.

To get them, you just need to read on….

How To Write Amazing Poems In 10 Fun Styles (With Examples)

1. ABC POEMS

ABC poems take multiple roads to reach the reader. So, one way is to use the 26 letters of the English alphabet and turning them into a linear structure.

How?

Start each word using the 26 letters to create 26 words in alphabetical order.

My custom sample: Xavier

A builder came. Developed every failed, grotesque house. I just kindly looked. Mesmerized, naturally. Other people quite rapidly stopped To universally view work Xavier yielded zealously.

Another road to write an ABC poem is by writing a 5 line poem. The first 4 lines are alphabetized beginning with any letter. But, the 5th line can start with any letter.

My custom sample: History

History, the lessons of the pastIn future darkness, it provides lightJust as the sun in the morningKindly, it showing present students What the future unfolds

2. CINQUAIN

This is another 5 line poem. How to write it?

The first is a one-word title, followed by a two-word line, a three-word line, and a four-word line. Finally, the fifth line has only one word. It also recalls the title to make up one complete theme.

3. HAIKU

Used in Japanese culture, it also reached the hearts of English mainstream with its unique use of syllables. It works by consisting of 3 lines. The first line has 5 syllables. But, the second has 7 syllables. And, the third has 5 syllables. Most Haikus are centered around a nature theme, bring the imagination of nature to life.

My custom sample: Fire

An intriguing sight A formless destroying foe Or a snug pleasure

4. LIMERICKS

Often done with humor, they are made of 5 lines in a distinct rhythm. They follow an AABBA scheme where the first, second, and fifth lines (each 8-9 syllables) rhyme and are longer than the third and fourth line (each 5-6 syllables)

My custom sample: Unlucky

A guy found one hundred dollars one day This won’t end well, I just have to say He went to the bar Got lucky in his car She stole his money and ran away

5. NARRATIVE

As the name implies, it tells a story that can be true or imagined. It doesn’t even have to rhyme. Also, they can be short or long like The Illiad and The Odyssey (Epics). Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven is another great example.

“Magdala will be mine! Any last words, Virgil?” Virgil lifted his head, discerning whether the destruction was real Devastation, dead bodies crowded the two of themWhile Magdala’s last hope was on his knees. NO!

“Even with no chance, I will stand!” A slew of adrenaline pumped through his veins Virgil lashed his sword at Hector’s heart Too late!

Hector dodged with grace and experience And swiftly mutilated Virgil of his head Blood splattered like an erupted volcano Stained Hector’s beaten armor

The head rolled in the dust and dirt Rolled next to the headless body of a warrior unafraid A warrior looking death in the eye, who remained unafraid “I will put that on your tombstone with great respect”

6. VILLANELLE

This is actually rare but fun in its challenge. It follows a scheme of ABA ABA ABA ABA ABA ABAA (The A’s highlighted in bold are repeated lines). To add a little difficulty, the first line is also repeated in the third lines of the second, fourth, and sixth stanzas. A famous example is Sylvia Plath’s poem Mad Girl’s Love Song.

My custom sample: Tomorrow

I should have done it way long ago There is a beautiful girl in school that I’ve never talked to But, I will talk to her after class tomorrow

I’d talk to her today, but I don’t know Always make excuses that I have something to do I should have done it way long ago

I sit behind her. Heard she’s from Chicago Bet there are a lot of other things that I never knew But, I will talk to her after class tomorrow

Apparently, she likes movies and her ’01 Camero I often imagine having a tight friendship, stuck like glue I should have done it way long ago

Usually, I’d let the thought go Then it comes back since she’s always in my view But, I will talk to her after class tomorrow

Today is the day, I will talk to her pronto I walked up to her, Then I withdrew I should have done it way long ago But, I will talk to her after class tomorrow

7. ACROSTIC

This works when the first letters of the lines spell out a word if you read them vertically. Edgar Allen Poe used this for his famous poem Elizabeth. But you can get crazy with it have the letters forming down the middle, or even diagonally.

My custom sample: Virtues

Values that I stand by and hold me together. I must have the:Imagination of a child-like mind to improve and innovateResolve that I never be wishy washy and come to a definite decisionTemperance to continually be self-disciplined and focused on my goalsUnshakable ability to execute on a decision; not being idleEnthusiasm with great interest and passionate joyStudent mentality to learn, for “All I know is that I know nothing.”

8. QUATRAIN

This simple 4-lined poem follows an AABB or ABAB scheme. Therefore, a famous example is Humpty Dumpty.

My custom sample: Seasons

Winter – A time to overcome negativity, read, and plan with positivity Spring – A time to take action and plant for future prosperity Summer – A time to protect your work against weeds and adversaries Fall – A time to harvest and collect your rewards; so reach high like the luminaries

9. SESTINA

A common but complex poem has a scheme of ABCDEF FAEBDC CFDABE ECBFAD DEACFB BDFECA. Broken down a Sestina has 6 stanzas (taking from its prefix). The last word of each line must be used at the end of each line rhyme. For example, if ‘cat’ is the last word used in line A, then ‘cat’ must be used in every line A of each stanza. Additional difficult comes as an added section that comprised of 3 lines. Each line must have two of the last words of the previous stanzas, one in the middle and one in the end. Great examples are

For example, if ‘cat’ is the last word used in line A, then ‘cat’ must be used in every line of A in each stanza. The additional difficulty comes in an added section that comprised of 3 lines. Each line must have two of the last words of the previous stanzas, one in the middle and one in the end. Great examples are Sestina by Elizabeth Bishop and Sestina: Altaforteby Ezra Pound.

My custom sample: Sestina: Quake

The grizzly bear chased a hunter in the woods His feeble legs slipped, landing face first in muddy water The enraged bear loomed over him with eyes of fire The hunter frantically yanked out his dagger of sharp metal As the grizzly crept closer, there was a quake in the earth The bear stumbled, the hunter threw his dagger like a dart through the air

A playwright grazed the outskirts of town for fresh air She pondered her next play and made her way to the woods Yet she detoured toward the shore where water met earth The cool wind blew, relaxing her mind for a nap next to the water Then the earth quaked moderately, and woke her like clinging metal Shock created inspiration and ignited her writing passion with fire

Cooking a stew, in the middle of town was a woman by the fire Sweat oozed her neck, she opened the window for fresh air She put on her mitts and checked the pot made of metal The stew tasted terrible, good thing her husband was still hunting in the woods Then the earth quaked mildly, and made her pour excess salt into the water Delighted with the new taste, she cheered, “What on earth…?”

Outside the great science building called ‘Humanity and Earth’ A tall man entertained children by wielding sticks of fire A master of fire, expert in control, he never worked with water The children were all amazed as he twirled the fiery sticks in the air Then the earth quaked fiercely, fire seized his chair of bark from the woods Scorched, the fire grew, burning the town and turning his coins into liquid metal

An assistant slaved diligently with tools of shiny metal Inside the great science building called ‘Humanity and Earth’ Lover of indoors, cheerful not to be outside like his brother in the woods Yes! Science was his calling, elements reacting to fire Then the earth quaked violently and harsh, chemicals flew in the air Burned his skin before dropping to the ground like acid rain water

Inside his lab, the scientist studied effects of explosives and water His steady hands paired chemicals with various metal Concentrating on the experiment, careful not to breathe in air Then for a brief moment, his focused distracted, the chemicals created a huge explosion on the earth Then the earth quaked overwhelmingly, breaking out in a tremendous fire Killing the scientist like a forest fire in the woods

Could you believe the hunter overcame the bear with a dagger of metal and the woman increased the flavor of her stew with accidental extra salt in water? Could you believe the chemicals poisoned the air, and the lab and town were engulfed in fire? If you ever think you are too small to make a difference, good or bad, on this earth, remember, the scientist was distracted by a mosquito that made a ripple to the woods.

10. SONNETS

I was going to put couplets on this list, but I decided to put another style that uses the simple couplet style. Couplets are two-lined poems with each line having the same syllables and the endings rhyming. Sonnets make up 14 lines with a couplet as the last 2 lines. They were very popular used by Shakespeare. They follow an ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.

My custom sample: Girl

Skin porcelain, but not perfect Long hair, a challenge to manage With that, she always receives my respect Broken heart of granite with no bandage

Eyes shine like the sunrise Strong head on her sleek shoulders Her knowledge shocks me by surprise Enlightens and awakens like Folgers

Untouchable, not even I want to touch you If I must, it would be more than lust It would be more than love that’s true Unbelievable! God created more than just dust

Like a dream, I’m glad you’re only in my head If I saw you, eyes met, heart faint, I’d be dead

Conclusion

You’ve learned how to write amazing poems in various fun styles. Now you’re equipped with an arsenal of ways to excite the emotions of your readers.

But, if you feel overwhelmed or don’t have the time to churn one (or a couple) of these bad boys out, have no fear. Click here and I’ll be more than happy to write them for you 🙂 Hope to hear from yousoon.